This invention relates to a garment bag suitable for receiving a collared shirt and to a method of folding a shirt.
Collared shirts, particularly for business wear, are prone to creasing particularly when packed for travelling or shipping. Conventionally, such shirts are folded in a particular way which allows for easy transportation and, in the case of merchandising, display. The conventional folding method requires the shirt to be buttoned, the arms to be placed flat along the back of the shirt, both sides folded in a certain amount towards the middle of the back of the shirt and the shirt then folded in half. Particularly for merchandising and professional laundry use, the shirt is supported in this folded form with paper or plastic supports for the back and under the collar to reduce creasing, with the shirt then finally being protected by an outer container which may be in the form of a paper or plastics bag for a laundry establishment or made from stiffer transparent plastics for merchandising use.
It is a disadvantage of this folding method that the shirt is required to be folded on front and back on both sides and half way up the front of the shirt which leads to noticeable creases. Furthermore, the supports used in packaging the shirt are not generally reusable and also make the final packaged shirt quite bulky.
A packaging case for a folded shirt has been proposed in GB 2291797 which has been sold under the trademark “Stuffed Shirt” and provides support and protection for a shirt folded in a similar manner to that described above, but which can be reused. This proposal, however still has the disadvantage of requiring the shirt to be folded as described, leading to creases and the case needs to be robust and is thus bulky and expensive.
It is the object to the invention to provide a container and a folding method for a collared shirt which alleviates at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art and/or provides the general public with a useful choice.